sophia

As far as I am concerned, I think this system of promotion is very far from perfection. Since Gérard Mortier became the director of the Opera (2004), I must confess that the competition is much more "honest": it means that the results of it, and consequently the promotions, correspond to the performances seen on stage the day of the "concours". You will always find some disappointed people of course, but the results are quite fair. It has not always been the case in the past! Moreover, I also think that this system is very "french": you have, just like at the time of Louis XIV, -the King who created the Royal Academy of Music, the ancestor of our ballet-, to "please the Prince". Why not, but ideally, has it anything to do with dancing? Dancers should be judged on performances the whole year long, and then be promoted. Anyway, this is our system, our tradition, and I respect it despite these critics. Nureyev, when he was the Director of the Ballet, wanted to delete the "concours", but the dancers went on strike to preserve it!!!!

All the dancers of the same rank present a common variation chosen by the management. For example, this year: - QUADRILLES Female variation: Kitri's vision in "Don Quixote" Act II (chor. Nureyev) Male Variation: Basilio variation in "Don Quixote" Act III (chor. Nureyev) - CORYPHEES Female variation: "Raymonda", Pizzicatti variation (chor. Nureyev) Male Variation: "Suite en blanc", Mazurka (chor. Lifar) - SUJETS Female variation: "Romeo and Juliet", Juliet 1st variation (chor. Nureyev) Male variation: "Manon", Des Grieux variation (chor. MacMillan) And second, they dance a free variation taken from the Paris Opera Ballet repertoire. So it can be classical, neo-classical or contemporary. Robbins ("Other dances", "Four Seasons"), Roland Petit for instance are often chosen by the candidates. They are judged by a jury composed of the Director of the Opera (Mr Gérard Mortier), the Director of the Ballet (Mrs Brigitte Lefèvre), the ballet master (Mr Patrice Bart), two other personalities (one comes from another company) and five dancers from the company elected (it changes each year).

Results for the men: Stéphane Phavorin: promoted to Premier Danseur Yong-Geol Kim: promoted to Sujet Adrien Bodet, Audric Bezard, Mathias Heymann: promoted to Coryphée

I just add that this competition is reserved to the "quadrilles" (lowest rank), "coryphées" and "sujets" (equivalent of second or first solist) until they reach the rank of "premier danseur" ("première danseuse" for the girls, i.e. first solist or principal). The "étoiles" are nominated by the management.

Nureyev first created "Swan Lake " for the Vienna State Opera Ballet in the sixties and there's a recording of this version on DVD featuring Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn. I think that's the version you're refering to. Nureyev recreated his "Swan Lake" for the Paris Opera Ballet in the eighties. So, I would not say it is exactly the same choreography, but certainly it is the same inspiration. It is a four acts ballet and the character of Prince Siegfried is the centre of it: he has to dance several variations, which is not the case in other russian versions. The character of the Fool disappears, and Rothbart, the Magician, is also Siegfried' tutor. Some critics talked about a "freudian ballet". In Paris version, sets and costumes signed Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino are different from the sixties version. It looks less "old-fashioned" fortunately, but one can reproach a certain "coldness" in the whole of it. In fact, I am not really a fan of this version which is a bit pretentious in its background and I prefer the idea of a fairy tale. But the ensembles with the swans are really great and beautiful, and Paris Opera Corps de Ballet is worth seeing in these parts!!! For instance, in the famous variation of the Four Little Swans, I have never seen such a perfection; anyway, I have to admit: all the ensembles, especially in the "white acts", are wonderful. And I repeat myself, I think the cast chosen for the dvd is the best we could imagine in Paris.

Thanks Azulynn for the precisions. You are right: Sabrina Mallem was on the previous cast for the Four Big Swans, but at the last minute, she was replaced by Stéphanie Romberg for the video (maybe just a matter of hierarchy, because Sabrina Mallem danced in the corps as a swan). I saw Nolwenn Daniel and Alessio Carbone in the Czardas on the first night, where, I think, they just take pictures (they do not exactly film the performance). So did they cast Fanny Fiat for the other filmed performances?

The first cast, with Letestu as Odette / Odile and Martinez as Prince Siegfried, has been filmed (and will be, as their last show takes place tonight) for a DVD to be released. I add the rest of the previous cast for the dvd: Rothbart: Wilfried Romoli (or maybe Karl Paquette, as Romoli did not dance yesterday) Pas de Trois: Nolwenn Daniel, Dorothée Gilbert (instead of Mélanie Hurel hurt), Emmanuel Thibault Four Little Swans: Fanny Fiat, Dorothée Gilbert, Myriam Ould-Braham, Mathilde Froustey Four Big Swans: Aurélia Bellet, Laurence Laffon, Vanessa Legassy, Sabrina Mallem (or Stéphanie Romberg?) Czardas: Nolwenn Daniel, Alessio Carbone Neapolitan Dance: Myriam Ould-Braham, Jérémie Bélingard I think the cast could not be better, as Agnès Letestu is really a great Odette / Odile, and José Martinez is certainly our best male dancer among the étoiles.

As Estelle said, Théophile Gautier is obviously very famous for his novels, short stories and tales of the fantastic. Maybe "La Morte amoureuse", "Spirite" or "Jettatura" are the most interesting. But Théophile Gautier is also famous in France as the theorician of Art for Art's sake: he developed his aesthetic ideas in the Preface of "Mademoiselle de Maupin" and in some poems too. He was also a poet, very much inspired, as many romantic writers, by Spain, a dance critic (and he wrote several stories for ballets like "Giselle" of course), and a playwright (this aspect of his career is absolutely unknown in France). If you want me to define him aesthetically, I would say he is an heir of romanticism (you will find in his works all the romantic obsessions), but he is also the critic of the romantic movement (as he refuses the idea of committed art: for him, a work of art must not have any social, political, moral... aim).

Competition to enter the corps de ballet and examinations are two different things. At the end of every year, pupils, from the sixth to the first division, have to pass an exam. It decides of their future: they are ranked, some are kept, some aren't. In the first "division", examination can be compared to a degree. At the end of their scholarship, when they are in the first "division", they are allowed to compete to enter the corps de ballet. Their rank at the exam doesn't count, even if, of course, it is known. That's not the director of the company who decides alone who he wants in the company, but a jury. They are mainly judged on technique.

Ludmila Pagliero has been dancing at the Opera for three years, and she has proved her value during these years in many roles, so she has been kept and given a place in the corps de ballet. If she is a good dancer (people from outside can be as good as our french, you know...), I think it's perfectly normal. On the other side, Adam Thurlow was not given a place this year... These people "from abroad", as you say cygneblanc, have to make more efforts than the others to stay at the Opera. I don't understand your contempt... Once more, the "foreigners" are not responsible for the Opera policy.

Congratulations to Ludmila Pagliero TOO, who is also a real good dancer who deserves her place. And she is not responsible for the Opera policy! Of course, it is not a surprise, so what? She is talented even if she was not educated at the Paris Opera Ballet School. Obviously, congratulations to Eléonore Guérineau I had seen in "Les deux pigeons": quite a phenomenon!

I was there too for Elisabeth Maurin's farewell preformance. I couldn't have missed that... A great and unique performance full of emotion during and after. Elisabeth Maurin is a marvellous actress and she really plays the character, so that you can feel something. I was really, really impressed and touched, as I had never seen her as Juliet (I agree, cygneblanc, Aurélie Dupont was just much too clean and I got bored the other night). So many details in the way she dances and plays... I also loved Benjamin Pech as Romeo: an excellent dancer and also a convincing actor. The other parts were also exceptional: Laurent Hilaire as Tybalt (even if I personally prefered Wilfried Romoli in the other cast), Emmanuel Thibault as Mercutio (unbelievable!) and Christophe Duquenne as Benvolio. A great corps de ballet, very enthusiastic and dancing in order (which is not always the case ). And afterwards, a shower of confettis coming from heaven onto the stage and 22 minutes of standing ovation. To see all the other "étoiles" in their simple way and dayclothes on the stage around her, kissing her, congratulating her and all those flovers thrown from the audience (it never happens in Paris) was really emotional...

Sorry to announce that Manuel Legris will not dance as Romeo for Elisabeth Maurin's farewell performance. It is announced on his website. Benjamin Pech will be her Romeo for the two performances on June 27th and 29th.

Sorry Estelle, but the article about the POB School is in "Paris Match", not in VSD (well, in fact, both are not great litterature...). There's also a short article about Wilfried Romoli.

I heard that Maria Alexandrova made her debut as Odette / Odile in "Swan Lake" on May 14th. I find that dancer really extraordinary, she is a real marvel to me, "something" I had never seen before ( I discovered her in Paris last year). Did someone hear about her performance?

I read a very bad report in the "St Petersburg Times" about "The Magic Nut". What do you think of it? I live in Paris, and in December, we'll be very happy to see the Maryinski at the mythical théâtre du Châtelet. Chemyakin's "Nutcracker" will be played. What can you tell me about this version? I saw pictures of it and despite I don't like that ballet very much, it seemed to me quite marvellous... So I have great expectations... Am I right or not?

If you are interested in the cast for Pina Bausch's "Orphée et Eurydice" (premiere on May 30th), in case you go to Paris in May-June, I put it down: Orphée: Kader Belarbi or José Martinez or Yann Bridard Eurydice: Marie-Agnès Gillot or Eleonora Abbagnato or Alice Renavand Amour: Miteki Kudo or Muriel Zusperreguy or Charlotte Ranson No other precisions on POB website concerning the dates for each cast . Later on, there will be Nureyev "Romeo and Juliet" at the Opera Bastille (June 25th-July 14th) and a Roland Petit Triple Bill at Garnier:Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, Carmen, L'Arlésienne (July 2nd-July 16th). Don't miss Elisabeth Maurin's farewell on June 29th as Juliet (with Manuel Legris)!

I am not a specialist in dance vocabulary, but I would define "piétinés" (or "menées", maybe in english, you just say "bourrées") as a step in which the toes never leave the floor, the legs are crossed and the dancer seems to slide in perpetual motion across the floor. It can be done "en avant" (forward), "en arrière" (backward) or "suivi". The most famous example is the entrance of Myrtha at the beginning of "Giselle" act II. It requires high speed and lightness to be beautiful.

To tell the truth, I saw neither Eleonora Abbagnato nor Mathilde Froustey as Anastasia. But, what Delphine Moussin did in "Ivan le terrible" can actually give an idea of her great and uncommon artistic talent. Very sensitive, I agree, and very lyrical (and it's not so common at the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris) and also very sensible. I still remember her fabulous "piétinés" in "Ivan" and in "Giselle" too. She is not a perfect technician like Aurélie Dupont for instance, but as far as I am concerned, I find her dance maybe more interesting. I just add that she was chosen many times by Jiri Kylian for his creations.

Estelle, you have quoted some great roles Delphine Moussin has danced in the past. I also will add her "Sylphide", who was extraordinary last july (she danced with Mr Pech, that was a marvellous evening, the best for me), Myrtha in "Giselle" and Anastasia in "Ivan le terrible" (those "piétinés"!!!). She is good in Forsythe's works too. Next year, we should see her in "Swanlake" in Odette/Odile (this year, she danced the role in Bordeaux).

I think it's too early for the news, but I will put some informations as soon and as quickly as possible. Maybe Gérard Mortier's policy is surprising, but I appreciate the fact that now eveything is possible for the dancers, even the more than thirty years old. Everything is not determined for ever. During Mr Gall's "reign", many dancers of great talent were more or less forgotten (of course, it always happens unfortunately) and for instance, one of them, Nathalie Aubin seemed very touched and happy yesterday. Personally, I don't think of Mrs Moussin's age, I think of her great talent, her great emotional power: youth, even if it is fashionable today, is not a sufficient value for me. As far as the future is concerned, I have no idea at all of what will happen. We have great female talents who will probably be "crowned" in the future: Miss Ould-Braham, Miss Gilbert and I could add some other dancers in lower ranks like Miss Sabrina Mallem (who is not "so young"). But who knows? Very good male dancers among the youngest like Mr Magnenet, Mr Hoffalt and the eldest like Mr Pech, Mr Thibault (finally recognized), Mr Duquenne, Mr Phavorin (two dancers who should be "premiers danseurs" too and who have been forgotten in the past competitions for the benefit of others, I don't mean this year, I mean in the past). Anyway, I don't think there will be a new nomination for the present year or the present season, but I have no relationships with the administration, I am not in their mind...

Delphine Moussin has been named an étoile by Gérard Mortier and Brigitte Lefèvre after tonight performance of Nureyev "Cinderella". I was there and I am very happy for her because she is a great artist(tonight she danced with her arm hurt). Of course, she should have been named earlier (she is 36), just like Wilfried Romoli, but better late... And it's also a hope for others... CONGRATULATIONS!

I don't know much about it, but what you must know is that it is not a creation, it's quite an old choreogaphy; so I think you could find some informations about it on the web. It is an "opéra dansé" and it is sung in German, which is not the original version (sung in French or in Italian). The comparison between Pina Bausch and Balanchine..., well, I think it should be very difficult, because there is no common point at all between both. Pina Bausch's work is neither classical nor neo-classical. This is modern-contemporary dance, she has a rather dark vision of the world (influenced by german expressionism), but it is always very emotional.

Mr Romoli is not of course the archetype of the "danseur noble", but at the same time he is absolutely not a "danseur de demi-caractère". Anyway, this traditional classification no longer exists at the POB. The "étoiles" are supposed to dance anything, contemporary or classical works. As far as I am concerned, I think it is an an illusion and it is the best way to have dancers without a real artistic personality. Mr Romoli has found his way because he is a very intelligent person, he can't be confounded with anyone else, and he is the best in what he does, really a major artist. That's why, although he is not a prince Siegfried, I think he deserves more than others his title.

Well, I think I have to accept the rules... But, I have just read the rules concerning the links to other websites, and what you say here seems to me a bit contradictory with the general rules of this website. This story of language does not convince me at all. Anyway, let's stop here. That does not matter. Cygneblanc, what you say makes me very sad.